Purpose behind FAC 55A-7: Prevent veterans from being penalized in the civilian careers for their time in military service. Veterans’ Preference laws recognize the economic loss suffered by citizens who have served their country in uniform, restore veterans to a favorable competitive position for public employment, and acknowledge the larger obligation owed to disabled veterans (detailed in section 295.08).

Candidates eligible for Veteran's Preference include:

Disabled Veterans who have served on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces and who presently have an existing service-connected disability which is compensable under public laws administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) or are receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension by reason of public laws administered by the DVA and the Department of Defense.

The spouse of a Veteran:

Who has a total and permanent service-connected disability and who, because of this disability cannot qualify for employment; or

Who is missing in action, captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.

A Veteran of any war, who has served at least one day during that war time or who has been awarded a campaign or expeditionary medal such as the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

World War II: December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946

Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955

Vietnam Era: February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975

Persian Gulf War: August 2, 1990 to January 2, 1992

Operation Enduring Freedom: October 7, 2001 to TBD

Operation Iraqi Freedom: March 19, 2003 to TBD

Operation New Dawn: September 1, 2010 to TBD

The unremarried widow or widower of a Veteran who died of a service-connected disability.

The mother, father, legal guardian, or unremarried widow or widower of a service member who died as a result of military service under combat-related conditions as verified by the United States Department of Defense.

A veteran who served in the active military, naval or air service and who was discharged under honorable conditions.

A current member of any reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or The Florida National Guard.

Required Documentation

**Documentation can not be mailed, emailed, faxed or hand carried. For preference approval, all documentation listed below must be uploaded to your online application prior to the posting closing date.**

Veterans, disabled Veterans, spouses of disabled Veterans and family members must furnish a Department of Defense document, commonly known as form DD-214 (Member 4 Copy) or combination of any official military discharge papers, or equivalent certification from the Department of Veteran Affairs, listing military status, dates of service and Character of Discharge. Must have an Honorable Discharge.

Disabled Veterans must also furnish a document from the Department of Defense, the DVA, or the Department certifying that the Veteran has a service-connected disability.

2

DD-214 (see 1st bullet under #1)

Spouses of disabled Veterans must also furnish either a certification from the Department of Defense or the VA that the Veteran is totally and permanently disabled or an identification card issued by the Department; spouses must also furnish evidence of marriage to the Veteran and a statement that the spouse is still married to the Veteran at the time of the application for employment; the spouse must also submit proof that the disabled Veteran cannot qualify for employment because of the service-connected disability.

Spouses of persons on active duty must furnish a document from the Department of Defense or the DVA certifying that the person on active duty is listed as missing in action, captured in line of duty, or forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power; such spouses must also furnish evidence of marriage and a statement that the spouse is married to the person on active duty at the time of that application for employment.

3

DD-214 (see 1st bullet under #1)

4

FDVA form VP-3 “Certification of Un-remarried Widow or Widower” and DD-214.

5

The mother, father, or legal guardian of a deceased Veteran must furnish a document from the Department of Defense showing the death of service member while on duty status under combat-related conditions or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs certifying the service-connected death of the Veteran, and must further furnish evidence of marriage.

The legal guardian must show the proper court documents establishing the legal authority for the Guardian.

6

DD-214 (see 1st bullet under #1)

7

FDVA form VP-2 “Certification of Current Member of Reserve of the United States Armed Forces or the Florida National Guard”

Preference Award by Category

**Documentation can not be mailed, emailed, faxed or hand carried. For preference approval, all documentation listed below must be uploaded to your online application prior to the posting closing date.**

Preference Category (%/Points)

Category

Explanation

15%

1

Disabled Veterans

10%

2

3

4

5

Spouse of Veteran who meets criteria above

Wartime Veteran and/or recipient of Expeditionary Medal

Unremarried widow/er of veteran who died as a result of military service combat

Parent, legal guardian, or unremarried widow/er of veteran who died as a result of military service under combat-related conditions

5%

6

7

A veteran who served in the active military, naval or air service.

Current member of any reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or The Florida National Guard (Exception: those serving on current active duty for training are ineligible for preference).

Are applicants who are currently serving in active duty eligible for veteran's preference?

No, a veteran is defined as a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under honorable conditions (or who later received an upgraded discharge under honorable conditions). However, current members of the reserve are eligible.

Are City employees eligible for veteran's preference?

When an employee applies for a position that is not related to his/her current position (such as a Lifeguard applying for Firefighter position), the employee may use veterans’ preference as long as the vacancy is an internal / external posting. Preference is not granted for internal only postings.

Employees who apply for a promotional opportunity (such as a Financial Advisor I applying for Financial Advisor II) may only claim and receive Veterans’ Preference for the promotion if the applicant had been deployed since date of hire and returned to the public entity where previously employed and reinstated or reemployed.

In this case, the employee is eligible to claim veterans’ preference for a promotional opportunity and because s/he already had to provide documentation to the employer when returning from service, the employee is not required to provide it again (that the employer must in this case be willing/able to get it from the employee’s file). The DD-214 must (as always) show an Honorable Discharge.

The Veterans’ Preference eligible applicant must use that promotional opportunity the first time it becomes available, and it is only good for that first promotion. It cannot be used multiple times for promotions. However, an employee with multiple deployments will be entitled to preference after each deployment. If the Veteran forgets to use his preference s/he is not entitled to use it at another time for a promotion.

How many days does an individual have to file a complaint?

Prior to filing a complaint, it is the responsibility of the applicant to contact Human Resources or the hiring authority after 45 days have passed from the final date for submitting an application or the interview date, whichever is later in time, if the applicant has not received whichever is later in time, if the applicant has not received notice of a hiring decision. S/he may file a written complaint requesting an investigation to the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Division of Benefits and Assistance within 60 calendar days from the date the notice is received by the preference-eligible applicant.

What should I do if I don't have intact, clear and legible copies of the DD-214 (Member 4) or other official documentation required to confirm my service and discharge disposition?

Unfortunately we can not approve your request for veterans preference if you do not attach an intact, clear and legible DD-214, Member 4 and/or other official document(s) confirming all the required information for your preference category (including character of discharge) prior to signature and release of your application. We can not accept mailed, emailed, faxed or hand carried documents. Confirmation of an honorable discharge is required for all preference categories.

Occasionally documentation submitted does not entirely meet the criteria for preference approval in one or more of the following categories:

The documentation submitted is not intact, clear or legible and/or appears to be altered in some way.

For instance, there may be permanent creases in the document from years of laying folded in an envelope. When scanned, it’s not possible to see whether or not it’s a crease or possibly altered in some way.

Some official documentation was attached but it doesn’t not contain all the required information for your preference category.

For instance, a DD-214 (Member 1 Copy) which contains the branch and dates of service but does not contain your disposition of discharge is uploaded without any other documentation to confirm discharge disposition.

Preference under Category #1 Service Connected disability receiving Compensation, Disability Retirement, of Pension administered by VA or DOD is requested but the appropriate intact and legible letter from the VA confirming disability and % disability was not attached.

Please do not attach your application or the letter from the Department of Veteran’s Administration stating that your claim is under review. These documents do satisfy the requirement.

You are a spouse (Catetgory #2), unremarried widow or widower (Category #4) or Mother, father, legal guardian or unremarried spouse (Category #5) and did not submit all required documentation and your request for veterans’ preference can not be approved.

Our State Representative for Veterans Affairs advises us you will receive the document within 14-21 days. In the meantime, please upload a copy of the receipt you will receive at the end of the transaction and submit it with your online application. Only if you attach a receipt requesting new intact, clear and legible documentation, we will accept an email copy of your DD-214, Member 4 and/or other official documents within 14-21 days from the date of your request receipt.

If you do not upload and attach the required documentation (or the receipt after requesting appropriate documentation) for the selected preference category to your online application and submit prior to the closing date of the position, your request for veterans’ preference can not be approved. Please note, this will not affect consideration of your application for the position.